Durand Cup: East Bengal fans hold 'Bangladeshi' banner, protest
East Bengal fans made headlines at the Durand Cup by holding up a bold banner after Delhi Police referred to Bengali as the "Bangladeshi language" in an official letter.
The police's request for a translator sparked outrage and accusations of discrimination against Bengali speakers, especially with the Trinamool Congress preparing for state polls next year.
Banner reads, 'We are called Bangladeshi for speaking our language'
The banner read, "We embraced the noose for India's freedom, and today we are called Bangladeshi for speaking our mother tongue," echoing frustration over being labeled outsiders for their language.
While BJP leaders said they meant dialect differences—not an insult—West Bengal's Chief Minister called the remark "scandalous."
Football matches in Kolkata have long been a space for political expression, and this protest is just the latest example of how sport and identity mix in the city.